Local software developer has head in the cloud

Published: Sunday, October 13, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 3:45 p.m.

Houma's Advanced Software Development was bought by VerticaLive earlier this year as the company looks to take its service to the cloud.

Dean Shoultz, VerticaLive CTO and founder of Advance Software, said the move is indicative of a trend in software platforms and is set to make the company, which is still based in Houma, giant killers.

The seed that eventually grew into Advanced Software Development began as a musical urge in the late '80s.

At the time, Shoultz was studying physics at Nicholls State University and bartending.

Computers were much different back then. They were hulking machines, processing information at a relative snail's pace with little connectivity between them.

Shoultz's goal was to create software that helped users learn guitar.

“So I bartended going to college. You get to work early about 6 p.m., and nobody is there. So I had some of these original (programming) books. I would just sit there and read it,” Shoultz said.

From that, PC Guitar was born. The software, which came on eight-inch floppy disk allowed users to plug in their guitar and play through various drills displayed on the computer.

Shoultz sold about 10,000 copies through late-night infomercials.

“Word got around that there was this guy in Houma writing software, so people approached me,” Shoultz said. “Local oilfield businesses said 'we manufacture oil rigs, we need a job-costing module or a quoting component or an invoicing component.' ”

He developed such software for about 60 specific companies before it dawned on him that the individual modules could be combined into a comprehensive business software platform.

“I said, 'I have an AR system here, a payroll system at McDermott. I've got this. I've got that. If I can cobble this all together, I can call it an accounting system,' and that was the genesis of the idea,” Shoultz said.

So in 1992, Advanced Software was born off Westside Boulevard. Houma might not be the first place you'd peg a multimillion-dollar software company to thrive, and Shoultz said the location was both a “blessing and a curse” for the business.

“For a long time there was no incentive or assistance in keeping people here. There was no bandwidth here. There were periods where getting connected to the Internet was a big challenge. You had to go through dial-up,” Shoultz said.

Recruiting was particularly tough.

The company went to local career fairs but was often out-glitzed in the eyes of young graduates by giants such as Microsoft and IBM.

“Occasionally we would find the one where maybe their family was here or they just didn't want to leave here, and to those guys we were like a godsend because there was a reason for them to stay and do what they are passionate about,” Shoultz said.

Shoultz also benefited from the local maritime industry starting with developing business software for Otto Candies. Today, a spin-off company, Marine CFO, serves about 25 maritime companies.

With time, Advanced Software grew and sold its flagship product for $2,000, then $4,000, and eventually reaching north of $1 million for some the its larger clients such as National Georgraphic Television and Scholastic Books.

“The fact that Harvard University is running on software that was developed in Houma is something,” Scoultz said.

Today, the company employs about 40 people across the U.S. and overseas. Advance Software's products are used by more than 6,000 companies worldwide, but times are changing.

“The software industry is a mature industry. Pretty much every industry out there, whether it's hair salons or health care, there are software players that are dominant in those spaces.” Shoultz said. “Now with the cloud it has all been reset. Suddenly there is nobody that has a cloud app, and it is like the gold rush again.”

The cloud is a colloquial term used for a platform to run computer programs or play music or other media that isn't based on physical software connected to your personal computer. Rather, the software is distributed and operated via the Internet.

But Shoultz said Advanced Software was a little “old-school” as it still being distributed through more traditional means such as CD. Also, the company didn't have the extra money required to make the heavy investment required to transition to the cloud. In steps, VerticaLive has the infrastructure to provide Advance Software with a cloud base for its products.

As high-speed Internet becomes more ubiquitous, cloud computing is projected to increase significantly. For company's like Shoultz's, it provides an easier way to deliver and service the software. With cloud computing, if a problem is fixed for one user, it's fixed for the others as well.

It also allows companies to get a more steady revenue stream instead of companies making a one-time investment in the software.

No matter how large, Shoultz said he intends to keep the company's head in Houma.

“This new generation coming up running businesses, it's out with the old. Young people are used to the cloud. We are poised to be giant killers with this,” Shoultz said.

<p>Houma's Advanced Software Development was bought by VerticaLive earlier this year as the company looks to take its service to the cloud.</p><p>Dean Shoultz, VerticaLive CTO and founder of Advance Software, said the move is indicative of a trend in software platforms and is set to make the company, which is still based in Houma, giant killers.</p><p>The seed that eventually grew into Advanced Software Development began as a musical urge in the late '80s.</p><p>At the time, Shoultz was studying physics at Nicholls State University and bartending.</p><p>Computers were much different back then. They were hulking machines, processing information at a relative snail's pace with little connectivity between them.</p><p>Shoultz's goal was to create software that helped users learn guitar.</p><p>“So I bartended going to college. You get to work early about 6 p.m., and nobody is there. So I had some of these original (programming) books. I would just sit there and read it,” Shoultz said. </p><p>From that, PC Guitar was born. The software, which came on eight-inch floppy disk allowed users to plug in their guitar and play through various drills displayed on the computer.</p><p>Shoultz sold about 10,000 copies through late-night infomercials.</p><p>“Word got around that there was this guy in Houma writing software, so people approached me,” Shoultz said. “Local oilfield businesses said 'we manufacture oil rigs, we need a job-costing module or a quoting component or an invoicing component.' ”</p><p>He developed such software for about 60 specific companies before it dawned on him that the individual modules could be combined into a comprehensive business software platform.</p><p>“I said, 'I have an AR system here, a payroll system at McDermott. I've got this. I've got that. If I can cobble this all together, I can call it an accounting system,' and that was the genesis of the idea,” Shoultz said. </p><p>So in 1992, Advanced Software was born off Westside Boulevard. Houma might not be the first place you'd peg a multimillion-dollar software company to thrive, and Shoultz said the location was both a “blessing and a curse” for the business. </p><p>“For a long time there was no incentive or assistance in keeping people here. There was no bandwidth here. There were periods where getting connected to the Internet was a big challenge. You had to go through dial-up,” Shoultz said.</p><p>Recruiting was particularly tough. </p><p>The company went to local career fairs but was often out-glitzed in the eyes of young graduates by giants such as Microsoft and IBM. </p><p>“Occasionally we would find the one where maybe their family was here or they just didn't want to leave here, and to those guys we were like a godsend because there was a reason for them to stay and do what they are passionate about,” Shoultz said.</p><p>Shoultz also benefited from the local maritime industry starting with developing business software for Otto Candies. Today, a spin-off company, Marine CFO, serves about 25 maritime companies. </p><p>With time, Advanced Software grew and sold its flagship product for $2,000, then $4,000, and eventually reaching north of $1 million for some the its larger clients such as National Georgraphic Television and Scholastic Books. </p><p>“The fact that Harvard University is running on software that was developed in Houma is something,” Scoultz said. </p><p>Today, the company employs about 40 people across the U.S. and overseas. Advance Software's products are used by more than 6,000 companies worldwide, but times are changing. </p><p>“The software industry is a mature industry. Pretty much every industry out there, whether it's hair salons or health care, there are software players that are dominant in those spaces.” Shoultz said. “Now with the cloud it has all been reset. Suddenly there is nobody that has a cloud app, and it is like the gold rush again.”</p><p>The cloud is a colloquial term used for a platform to run computer programs or play music or other media that isn't based on physical software connected to your personal computer. Rather, the software is distributed and operated via the Internet.</p><p>But Shoultz said Advanced Software was a little “old-school” as it still being distributed through more traditional means such as CD. Also, the company didn't have the extra money required to make the heavy investment required to transition to the cloud. In steps, VerticaLive has the infrastructure to provide Advance Software with a cloud base for its products. </p><p>As high-speed Internet becomes more ubiquitous, cloud computing is projected to increase significantly. For company's like Shoultz's, it provides an easier way to deliver and service the software. With cloud computing, if a problem is fixed for one user, it's fixed for the others as well. </p><p>It also allows companies to get a more steady revenue stream instead of companies making a one-time investment in the software. </p><p>No matter how large, Shoultz said he intends to keep the company's head in Houma. </p><p>“This new generation coming up running businesses, it's out with the old. Young people are used to the cloud. We are poised to be giant killers with this,” Shoultz said.</p>